If you put together all the different cult crowds that are fans of William Sanderson’s work, the number might be big enough to rival that of a bona fide superstar.
People probably know him first and foremost as the loquacious leader of backwoods brothers Larry, Darryl and Darryl from Newhart. But he’s also logged time in such landmark projects as Blade Runner, Deadwood, a memorable episode of Lost, and has been one of Hollywood’s most reliable character actors for decades.
He’s currently filming the second season of what has already turned into a cult hit, the Southern vampire saga True Blood on HBO. Sanderson plays Sheriff Bud Dearborne, who is mighty skeptical of these bloodsuckers trying to fit into his small Louisiana town.
The Memphis native’s prolific career began after he graduated law school but forsook the bar exam in order to pursue acting, a decision he still has trouble explaining today. Many are happy he did. His “hey, I know that guy” status will be cemented as he is featured in Starz Inside: The Face Is Familiar, which shines the light on those journeyman actors and actresses (think Stephen Tobolowsky, Allison Janney, Michael Madsen, Samuel L. Jackson) who make everything they’re in that much better. It premieres June 9 on Starz, while Season 2 of True Blood airs Sundays beginning June 14.
Sanderson talked to us about being the old guy on set, and what life is like for a character actor.
How is filming going on True Blood, Season 2?
I wish I could say quickly. It’s halfway through, I guess, and I’m still on the team, which is a selfish thing to say, but I’m really happy about it. The first year, if you happened to see it, I only did nine episodes. I want to get that out before I start exaggerating. But this year I’m guaranteed more, so I have half a season to shoot. I feel very humble. On Deadwood, if you recall, I did every show. But I’m a happy man when I look around and see the economic Pearl Harbor around us that I have a regular job and can be able to take someone out to eat. I do love working for [True Blood executive producer] Alan Ball, and I’m still learning about my character. He’s a normal person, I believe, at this point — and that’s a challenge.
Have you read ahead in Charlaine Harris’ books to see what happens to him?
I did, I’ll confess. I looked originally to see that he survives the first six books, but that’s only a loose blueprint. One person asked me, “Do you think he’ll solve any crimes?” And I said, “I hope so,” or like real life, you might not be able to hold on to your job.
Sheriff Dearborne seems to be the voice of reason somewhat in the Bon Temps law enforcement. Was that a relief, not playing the typical bad Southern sheriff role?
Thank you for asking that. Yeah, it’s a great relief to see yourself as something other than a complete buffoon or derelict or bad guy. But it still scares me to death if I can pull it off. You know, when you have a mask, or two hours of makeup or a great costume to hide behind, that’s one thing, but when you don’t have that … My hat goes off to people who do lead roles and are normal people, because they’re harder than quirky characters. It’s a real relief [to play a normal guy]. I wish my parents were alive to see it, but my son sees it, even though it’s a little debauched show.
Are directors more open to your input, as a character actor, or do they just expect you to read the lines and do your job?
I think it kind of goes with the size of the roles. I’m certainly at the mercy of the writers. I hate to keep talking about the last show I did for HBO [Deadwood], but I had a pretty fair license to make mistakes or offer my two cents’ worth. Here, I just seem to be just a foot soldier following orders, and I don’t mind that. But if you see yourself as stubborn and opinionated and forceful, you gotta be careful. One thing is, I don’t feel yet the freedom to make mistakes. … When you have great writers, more than one of them’s been nominated or won an Academy Award, and when you have Alan Ball, I just try to give them what they want. It all starts with the writing. Years ago, I didn’t think something was particularly funny in my naive younger years on Newhart, and they said, “OK, what have you got?” And I didn’t have something better. But I’m not a big improviser. I’m kind of like Tommy Lee Jones, with whom I’ve survived six projects. I like improvisation if it’s me, but I’m not real big on it if it’s someone else. Alan’s writing is pretty great. I don’t do much tweaking.
You play many supporting roles, so you’re probably not on set for the whole production. Is it more difficult coming in during the middle of a shoot, when the rhythm is pretty much set?
When one does, one doesn’t feel that secure. One thing is, [the True Blood cast members] are all young. I’m the graybeard, so that creates its own insecurity. I could be a self-repeating old bore to them. The more you’re there, the more you get to know people. I’m not unhappy, though. If there’s a happier actor there, I want to meet him. Somebody might say, “If there’s a luckier out there,” you know what I mean? There are so many actors and so few jobs. I practice a little self-deception to keep going that I consider myself one of the luckiest. I ask myself, “How do I know I’m doing a good job?” If I don’t get some people telling me that, I get quite worried. My favorite quote from Jackie Gleason is, “Self-deception thrives in the compost of flattery.” I need it. I need that pat on the back.
Do you watch your work now when you’re done?
It’s harder now than it used to be. Look at the pretty actress, for instance, Anna Paquin, or the young Ryan Kwanten, who I love working with. Stephen Moyer’s a great gentleman from England. I see some lines [in my face], but I’m just grateful, cliched as it sounds. I’m never satisfied. If I ask myself why I torture myself, I think it’s because you could always do it better. I asked [Deadwood creator] David Milch one time, “Do you second-guess yourself?” He said, “All the time.” May I drop the name Blade Runner? Twentysomething years ago, I thanked the producer, and I said, “Six months from now, I’ll be thinking I could do it better.” And he’s a British guy, and he said, “Six months. Six years.” And I still can see things and remember things that the director says that could have been better.
What’s your reaction to being known as a character actor?
Lately, I’m kind of happy. If you get too high, there’s more room to fall. Or maybe God’s letting me down easy. I have a job, I don’t have the exposure I had when I was younger. I hope my priorities are different, too, than just being recognized, or amassing a fortune. I got wonderful in-laws in Pennsylvania, and a son and grandson in North Carolina, some miniscule investments, more cars than I need … I just feel like I’m very important this morning.
Is there a role you get recognized for more than any other?
They sometimes recognize the voice. (Sanderson also does quite a bit of voice-over work.) When I used to go back east on the street sometimes they’d mention Blade Runner. But if I’m at my summer house — we have a modest house in Pennsylvania — and I go to an American Legion, they’ll say, “Larry, this is Larry.” But you can imagine in an American Legion, they’re vets and they’re my age group. But may I say not enough? Not enough of any of it. I stole that. They asked a French director, “How many times have you been in love?” He said, “Not enough.” In love with compliments, in my case. I did that show Lost, but the amount of people who said hello or said they saw me on Lost recently — just a couple of scenes — was amazing.
Deadwood was canceled after two seasons, and the TV movies that were supposed to tie up all the loose ends haven’t materialized. Has it bothered you that the series hasn’t been able to finish on its own terms?
After talking to people for several years and having them ask, it didn’t seem fair to the fans, but the man that probably caused it to be discontinued, if one person [could do that] he lost his job. I’m not going to say his name. I have no room to talk about karma. … I keep talking about Deadwood, so I’d like to interject that Alan Ball, when he cast me [in True Blood], said he never saw that show, and I said to myself, “Maybe that’s why he cast me.” I mean, it’s possible. I’m trying to be light here, but there’s political correctness, and there’s not political correctness.
You get to hop across so many genres — Westerns, sci fi … is there a particular genre or type of wardrobe you prefer?
The goal, off the top of my head, is to do something different each time. You can’t tell it. [There are] jobs you take for the money, or to see certain parts of the world. I’ll steal from Sam Shepard — he said years ago, “I just want to work with film artists.” I want to work with television artists or film artists, that’s the starting point. But just to try not to repeat myself too much. The genre? I guess somebody that needs a short, white actor from Tennessee with gargoyles of insecurity hanging off his shoulders. No problem.
